Birds of a Feather
by poweredtoenail
Summary: When music prohibition dominates the land. Two people set out to stake a claim in the turbulent underground club scene.
1. Fight the Power and In the Begining

**A/N: I'm back from my hiatus. I've had my head in Touhou land for a while and almost left the Vocaloid fandom but I'm back and here to stay. So this story has been floating in my mental space for some time so enjoy.**

**In 2024, music all over the world has been banned as a way to become more tolerant and politically correct but instead ushered in a new world government. Special police forces scour the globe destroying anything and everything musical. In spite of this, some have taken to the streets while others have opened extremely successful underground clubs. Welcome to the Vocalounge.**

People of all kinds flooded the streets with a single idea on their minds.

"Return our music!" they chanted.

At the front a woman in black and gold shouted through a megaphone, "These are the people who took away our music. This is the enemy." She pointed at a large municipal building. A line of riot police blocked the building entrance. The mob began pelting the police with rocks and garbage.

"Hold your ground,"a police officer tried to steady his men. _If this crowd snaps it's over_ he thought to himself.

"Come in," someone said through the officer's radio.

"Where's our back up?" the officer semi-shouted.

"The order has been dropped to eliminate Lily Masuda by any means necessary."

"But that-"

"Do not question orders."

The officer gritted his teeth and signaled a sharpshooter on a nearby roof.

"First they took away our music, next they will take away our expression than they will take away our humanity. I say it ends right here." Lily riled up the crowd to a near fanatical level. On the roof top, a sharpshooter put Lily in his cross hairs.

"You're dead," he said but felt himself hit concrete long before he could pull the trigger. He looked up in time to see a dark haired woman than everything went black. The officer on the blockade line started yelling into his radio.

"What happened?" but only static followed. On the line an officer hit with a trashcan lost his patience and pulled out his gun.

"Wait... You fool..." the officer with radio ran to stop the man but never made it. The shot silenced the crowd. A person in the crowd dropped dead. First panic and fear filled the crowd but quickly grew into anger than chaos broke, the mob surged toward the building like a tidal wave. Lily pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed a number.

"Is everything alright up there?" Lily asked.

"Fine."

"Good."

"What is your next order?"

"We're going home."

"Home-home?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No, it's just that we haven't been home in years."

"I know but I think it's time."

**Several days later on the other side of the world...**

"What do you think of this one?" A man in a muffler said to a woman in red. She moved her hair behind her ears. She looked the two story building over.

"Can we afford it?" she adjusted her jacket.

"Your standing next to the heir of the Shion family and your asking if we can afford it," the man deadpanned.

"Okay what about musicians? I mean we can't exactly put an ad out. And equipment, a microphone costs a fortune these days."

"Don't worry I'll take care of everything." He reassured her.

"I don't want you to get in over your head."

"How long have you known me?"

"Years." she stated.

"Than don't worry," he walked away to make a phone call.

A poster on a nearby telephone pole piqued Meiko's interest. She tore it off to look it over. The poster showed two people with a 'WANTED' labeled across the top. A blonde woman took up most of the page with a smaller picture to the right of a dark haired woman. Across the bottom it said '1,600,000,000 Yen reward for the capture of Lily Masuda and Mako Nagone.' Kaito found her in shock.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She handed him the poster. His face twisted to match.

"People are getting desperate these days,"

Meiko nodded, "How about we go after her instead?"

Kaito made a face at her, "I don't feel like dying."

"So you'd rather go to prison for the rest of your life."

"When you put it that way, I guess." He answered.

"Anyways did you get the building?"

"As soon as we sign the paperwork it's ours."

"You know,we're going to need help."

"I heard one of the Sound Junkies is looking for work."

Meiko raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure you want those weirdos around."

"I told you don't worry. I know they're a bit eccentric but it'll be fine."

**A/N: What did you think? This a prologue of sorts. 'Till next time.**


	2. Twins and a Hobo with Info on the Rocks

**A/N: Here's chapter two. I had a bit of fun with this one and the bit at the end wrote itself. I forgot to mention it in the first chapter but as you probably know I own nothing. Enjoy.**

Three people walked down a sidewalk. At the head of the group a girl with teal ponytails reaching to her ankles. She carried a dirty backpack over one shoulder. Behind her fraternal twins followed. They both had the same blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Can we take a break now my feet hurt," Len whined.  
"Just a few more blocks than we'll stop for the night," Miku replied.  
"Where are we going?" Rin asked.  
"I heard a new club just opened. I'm going to try to get a job there." Miku chimed, "If they're paying what I'm hoping for we might just be able to rent a room."  
The twins' eyes sparkled at the thought of four walls and a roof. They would have been happy with just a roof. After walking another four blocks, the group set up camp in an alleyway. They moved a dumpster to hide behind and stacked cardboard to make an impromptu bed.  
"Do we have anything to eat?" the twins asked Miku.  
"Um..." she dug through her backpack, "we have half a bottle of soda and a couple of peanuts."  
Miku handed each twin two peanuts.

"What about you?" Rin asked Miku.

"It's okay."

After their meager meal they turned in for the night. Rin and Len slept while Miku sat against a wall looking out for any would be thieves.

In the downtown area a blonde girl stood against a pole with one hand in her pocket and the other texting on a cellphone. Her side ponytail hung by her ankles bobbing with the girl's impatience.  
"Neru," someone called.  
She groaned as two children approached. A little girl named Yuki and a little boy named Ryuto ran up to the blonde.  
"Want to play tag?" Yuki asked.  
"No," Neru answered.  
"Aww... Why?"  
"I'm working."  
"But you played with us last time."  
"That was only because Haku talked me into it. Now scram kids."  
"Meanie," the two kids ran off.  
"What did you say? I know where you live," she yelled.  
"Threatening kids. How the mighty have fallen," a silver haired man took a drag on his cigarette, "Do you really know where they live?"  
"Give me five minutes and I will."  
"Right. I heard a new club is opening. Do you know anything about it?"  
"I do but it's going to cost you."  
"Name you price."  
Neru closed her phone and began tapping her chin, "An MP3 player."  
"What, you're kidding."  
"Than I guess you don't want to know what I know."  
"Fine you can have this one." He handed the Neru a tube shaped device.  
"How many gigabytes?"  
"Sixteen, now tell me what you know."  
"Dell I'm gonna tell it to you straight, I know next to nothing."  
"Than why did you charge so much?" He nearly inhaled his cigarette.  
"Because I know one of the owners of this yet to be named club is Kaito Shion."  
Dell's cigarette fell out of his mouth.  
"Crafty Kaito made it out of his cement shoes."  
"So it seems. His partner is a former singer who's going by the name Meiko. Anything else you want to know?"  
"How is my insufferable sister doing? Is she still getting wasted on a daily basis?"

"Even though she's getting drunk she's not that bad. What is she supposed to do? Singing was her life until those thugs nearly ripped out her vocal chords because you didn't want to share some profit."

"Hey, that was the deal." Dell tried to defend himself.

At this point Neru snapped. In seconds she had Dell on the floor with a black katana at his throat.

"Leave before I do something I'll regret."

Dell's instincts got the best of him, making him roll over and take off running.

**A/N: I have a bit of experience when it comes to Miku, Rin and Len's predicament, albeit not to the same degree but the feeling is the same. Expect the next chapter soon.**


End file.
